Why Dayot Upamecano deserves his new Bayern Munich contract
Dayot Upamecano has blossomed into one of the Bundesliga’s most accomplished defenders as well as a real leader at the heart of Bayern Munich’s defence under coach Vincent Kompany. After penning a new deal, which will see him remain in Bavaria until 2030, we look why the No.2 is such a key pillar for the Bundesliga champions and their long-term aspirations.
Few players at Bayern have enjoyed quite as successful a resurgence as Upamecano has since Kompany assumed the reins back in summer 2024.
Somewhat surprisingly in retrospect, the France international was used sparingly by previous Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel, who tended to favour Matthijs de Ligt and Eric Dier as his centre-back pairing – both of whom have left the club during Kompany’s tenure.
Watch: Upamecano signs contract extension
However, the Belgian saw Upamecano’s value immediately. Kompany said in January: “I didn't know Upa before [joining Bayern]. We have now worked together for 18 months. I found his starting level very good. He has always been a leader for me, and now even more so.”
As it turns out, Kompany earmarking Upamecano as a natural leader from the off proved to be a stroke of genius.
Watch: Best of Upamecano in 2025/26
Last term, with Bayern seeking to regain the Bundesliga title, the French defender was handed starts in 19 of the opening 22 league matches, missing two through injury and being rested for the other.
Of those 19, he played the full 90 minutes some 17 times, anchoring the side as Bayern claimed 15 wins and four draws.
Whilst he missed much of the remainder of the campaign through injury, his strong performances in the first half of the season significantly helped the Bavarians concede just 32 goals in their successful pursuit of a record 33rd Bundesliga title.
Having now become an integral cog within the Bayern machine, Kompany heaped praise on how far Upamecano has come under his tutelage, particularly in terms of the defender’s burgeoning maturity.
“On the ball, he has developed the most over the last 18 months. He is very progressive in his game and plays forward. Upa is a player who can become one of the best defenders in the world,” the Belgian said.
Now, in addition to his skills on the ball alluded to by his manager, and the physical attributes he is known to be blessed with – namely pace, strength, and height – perhaps one of Upamecano’s greatest strengths is the ability to continually disprove those who doubt him.
In the summer, question marks had arisen about his place in the team with the high-profile arrival of veteran centre-back Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen. However, since the 2025/26 season began, Upamecano has started 12 times alongside the Germany international in Kompany’s first-choice rearguard pairing.
What’s more, Bayern have not lost a single Bundesliga match in which the Frenchman has played since May 2024, with Upamecano’s record standing at 30 wins and seven draws domestically, having been absent for the last three defeats in Mainz, and at home to Bochum and Augsburg. Only Manuel Neuer can boast a superior 39-game unbeaten streak, with Jérôme Boateng’s record of 54 consecutive matches without defeat no doubt now in the Frenchman’s sights.
Upamecano has also cut an increasingly composed figure over the years. Early in his Leipzig days, his misplaced pass rate was sometimes over 20 percent. This season, it is under 10 percent (93 percent completion). Last season, he had less than than five percent of misplaced passes.
This season, Upamecano has also successfully retained possession in 74 percent of the pressure situations he's faced. Since this statistic has been recorded (2022/23), this is his best escape rate.
Bayern board member for sport Max Eberl gave a ringing endorsement of his progress in November, saying: “Upa has developed into one of the best centre-backs in the world. We’ll do everything we can to make sure he stays.”
He now has his wish, with the new contract tying what Eberl terms an "anchor point" of this formidable Bayern side for the long term over the peak of his career. Upamecano will only be 31 when it expires in 2030.
Related news
Upamecano extends Bayern contract
The France international has committed his future to the defending Bundesliga champions with a new long-term deal.
Bayern: The future-proofing experts
The Bundesliga leaders have tied down key performers and made some strategic signings in recent months, with an eye on the coming years...
How will the 2026 World Cup work?
Bundesliga stars will be vying for the game's greatest international honour in the USA, Canada and Mexico - here's how it will all work.